Demons to hit the road for the hoops playoffs
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO

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Gas up those school buses. The prep basketball playoffs are upon us.
The Colorado High School Activities Association released its Class 4A and 5A brackets on Sunday, and both Glenwood Springs High School teams made the cut.
It’s certainly no surprise the 19-4 Demon girls made the field of 48. The 10-13 boys were on the bubble, though.
Glenwood’s girls drew a first-round bye in the 12-team Tanya Haave Region and will travel to Air Academy in the Colorado Springs area to face either Valor Christian (18-4) or Lewis-Palmer (5-18) in Friday’s round of 32. Valor Christian and Lewis-Palmer meet in the first round on Wednesday. Air Academy, 21-2 and owner of the top seed in the Tanya Haave Region, is hosting one of the region’s two four-team Sweet 16 tournaments. The Kadets face either Green Mountain (10-13) or Pueblo County (12-11) in their Friday game.
On Saturday, Friday’s winners meet up back at Air Academy in the round of 16.
Not knowing what team his fourth-seeded Demons will face on Friday, Glenwood Springs coach Bryan Derby will turn the focus inward at practice this week.
“We’ll just prepare ourselves for what we need to do,” he said. “I think all we need to do is rebound and take care of the basketball.”
Glenwood’s boys drew the 12th and final seed in the Bill Weimar Region. They’ll face No. 5 Green Mountain (14-8) in its home city of Lakewood on Tuesday. The winner moves on to Sierra High School on Friday to play No. 4 Pueblo East (18-5) in the round of 32.
“We have a tough draw our first game. They’re long and lanky,” Demons coach Cory Hitchcock said as he watched film of Green Mountain Sunday night.
However Friday’s game plays out, Hitchcock is happy to get at least one more night with his squad.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “I’m excited for our seniors. They get an opportunity to at least play one more game. I’m excited to go on the road and bond with the team and play a good basketball team. We’ll see what this team is really made of. We’re just now starting to peak.”
Playoff game times have yet to be finalized.
In Class 3A hoops, it’s district tournament time.
The 3A Western Slope League, to which local teams Coal Ridge, Grand Valley, Rifle and Roaring Fork belong, will hold its district games this week. The 10-team league’s top five boys and girls teams qualify for regionals.
Play-in games are typically held Monday, with first-round games typically slated for Tuesday and Wednesday. A bracket was not available at press time.
jcaspersen@postindependent.com

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